Take Her To Sea
by lowlaury
Summary: Beck knows something is terribly wrong when his career-minded parents force him to go on a cruise around half the world with them. Little does he know that it's worse than he ever imagined. / BADE. AU.


**Britt wanted Titanic!Bade, but this is only very loosely based on the movie, I tried to put my own spin on it. Enjoy!**

* * *

He should've known that something was up the second his parents - _his!_ hard working, 'what-is-having-a-personal-life'- parents - told him they wanted to go on a vacation.

A vacation that included their adult son, mind you. And not just your boring, off-the-rack vacation, either - no, it had to be a freaking cruise ship, taking them from Southampton to New York City in 8 days filled with boredom, water, more water and having fancy dinners with strict dress codes and cheesy live music aboard the ship every single night. To say he had been less than thrilled when his parents revealed their plans to him while in their summer house just outside of London would be the understatement of the year. ("You know which other cruise ship that went down that exact route? The _freaking Titanic_!")

And now, on their second night aboard the Queen Mary II, as they were seated in the dining hall waiting for their dessert while a quartet of four especially persistent violinists twirled around their table, Beck finally saw the puzzle pieces of this strange trip falling into place - one of of them being his inability to grab his stuff and RUN while trapped on this ship. "You did WHAT?!" He slammed both of his hands flat on the tabs, leaning towards his parents across from him in disbelief.

"Son, we know this is a lot to take in right now, but trust me when I say that a lot of thought went into this, and in the long run I'm sure you will thank us. It's for the best," his father commented in his usual matter-of fact tone. Next to him his mother just nodded in agreement.

"And how exactly would marrying me off to some woman I don't even know benefit me? Please enlighten me, father," Beck spat. The violinists finally scurried away to bother someone less angry.

James Oliver calmly folded his used napkin and set it aside. He was an intimidatingly serious man who had built an empire for himself by founding his own company and leading it to success within just two years at the mere age of twenty-two. Thus it didn't come as a surprise that he expected nothing less from his son - who was now twenty-four and merely one of the managers at Oliver Co., his father's company. "Beck, I highly doubt that it has slipped your attention that your current lifestyle leaves a lot to be desired. I was counting on you to expand and improve our business and eventually take over as CEO when it is time for me to retire, but right now, I hardly deem you capable of even accomplishing just one of those things."

Beck grimaced at his father's words, but let them slide without a remark, knowing it was probably pointless, anyway. He took a big gulp of his red wine to prepare for the lecture that was about to unfold.

"I expect you to finally get a grip on things, and I think an appropriate first step would be to find a woman suitable to become the wife to a man of your standards."

"Thank God you already took that decision off my hands, right?" Beck remarked sarcastically, tightly clutching his glass. He surely wished he had gone with something stronger than wine right about now.

"Indeed," James retorted. "If you yourself are incapable of taking the lead, the least you could do is produce heirs who aren't. Soon."

The dryness with which his father delivered his speech stung. Not that he had ever been the loving kind of father; God no, James Oliver had been anything but that. He was cold, inapproachable and unaccepting of any and all mistakes - that was, when he was even around long enough to make any sort of impression.

"And Daphne seems like a lovely young lady," his mother spoke for the first time since the beginning of the discussion.

Her words did anything but soothe her son. " _Seems_ like? Have you even met her before? Do you even _know_ this woman I'm supposed to marry?"

"She comes from a highly respected and influential family in New York City, which means she is well-mannered, educated and wealthy enough not to be after my money. She is a perfect match," his father said.

"So I don't get any say in this at all?"

"This isn't a subject open to debate, Beck. You will marry her and that is my last word."

…

Later that night, the big hall was buzzing with jolly chatter and live music. The tables had been pushed aside and couples were twirling under the big golden chandelier in the middle of the room, mimicking steps and postures they had been taught since childhood. Beck hated all of the stiff, classic dances. He never understood the appeal of being restricted to moving only in a certain way. Much like he never understood why being uptight and judgmental came with being among the "1%".

He took a sip of his drink. Surprisingly enough, it was still his first since arriving, although he did feel like drowning himself in alcohol right now. He figured this party was as good a place as any for observing and criticizing the social constructs of his world, plus it had better refreshments to offer than the mini fridge in his cabin. What made it most desirable, though, was the fact that the chances of running into his parents here were close to zero. He didn't have the energy to deal with them any more tonight.

He was pretty content with his seat at the bar, from where he had a good view of the dance floor, and he didn't have any intentions to leave that particular spot - until he saw _her_.

She wasn't among the people dancing, and she wasn't among those sharing mindless chatter at he of the tables. She was standing further off from the joyful crowd - maybe that's what made her catch his eye - , casually leaning against a pillar and observing, much like him.

She was gorgeous.

Raven hair framed her face and flowed down her back in picturesque waves, contrasting with her flawless porcelain skin in a way that accentuated both. Her body was swathed in a tight red dress that matched the color of her full lips. Beck swore he had never seen anything so beautiful before.

He watched her for a while, unable to tell if it was out of curiosity, or because he simply couldn't take his eyes off of her, or maybe both. He wondered if she was here with anybody. He'd be surprised if a woman like her wasn't, but no one joined her or led her to the dance floor. Other men were eyeing her (how could they not?), yet no one made an attempt to approach her. Beck couldn't blame them, he was in a similar position after all. Not that he was shy or self-conscious, he had had picked up his fair share of women over the years without a problem – but this one seemed too dream-like for the thought to even cross his mind. What would he even say? 'Hi, I'm Beck and I'm engaged, but I've never even met my fiancé, so how about a drink?'? That line was sure to be a hit with the ladies.

Sighing, he picked up his glass and brought it to his lips for another sip of vodka tonic, only to find it empty. When did that happen? He must've zoned out ogling her. He ordered another and brought it along when he strode over to her. What did he have to lose? His life had pretty much gone down the drain already, anyway.

He rested his back against the pillar, keeping a little distance between them, but close enough for them to talk. She didn't look at him, her eyes still fixated on the crowd and a drink in her hand, untouched. "I was wondering when you'd get bored of watching me stand here," she said before he could even open his mouth.

He felt a strange sensation in his stomach upon hearing her voice for the first time, a little raspy yet somehow crystal clear at the same time. A one-sided smile tugged on his lips. "That obvious, huh?"

"It's not like you really made an attempt at hiding it," she remarked dryly, finally turning her head to look at him. The intensity of her bright blue eyes caught him off-guard and he was too stunned to speak for a second.

He made a quick recovery, luckily, praying she didn't notice. "Well, I guess there's no point denying it now." He took a sip of his drink. "So what brings you here?"

"To this party or this lame-ass cruise?"

He chuckled. "Cruise."

"The middle of the ocean is a great place to be when you want to get away from your family for a while."

Beck scoffed. "Yeah, I wish. Mine dragged me here, no excuses."

"Ah," she said empathetically. "The infamous trap: spend time with your family or jump and drown, the choice is yours. Been there."

He gave her a smile and then, in a matter-of-factly tone, said, "Actually, you'd probably freeze to death before you drown. The water is icy."

"Thanks, Leo DiCaprio," she retorted dryly, but nevertheless amused.

"Hey, I knew that way before the movie came out, okay?"

"You've known about the water temperature in the Atlantic Ocean and its effects on the human body since you were, what, 6 years old?"

He thought about it for a second, the confident look on his face slowly turning into one of defeat. "Okay, fine, maybe I didn't, but I can't believe that you have the release date of Titanic memorized."

"Please," she scoffed. "I do appreciate cinematic works of art. And movies where lots of people die." She took what he believed to be the first sip of her drink. He hoped it meant that she had saved it for when the night started to look promising. "The clichéd love story isn't really my cup of tea, though."

"I figured that much after you mentioned the aspect of death before the one of love."

"I take it you're a sucker for romance, then? Figures."

"Eh, not so much anymore," he replied honestly, then held out his hand. "I'm Beck, by the way."

She accepted his handshake. He was surprised to find it to be firm and confident, like only a very few of the women he had met did it. "Jade." Their hands were entwined for a hint of a moment longer than necessary, before she slowly removed her hand from his. Her eyes were quite mesmerizing, he found. "Interesting choice of time to introduce yourself."

"Well," he said. "Figured this was as good a time as any."

A comfortable silence settled over them as they watched the other people dance and laugh and drink. One couple was showing off an impressive tango routine and others gathered around them to watch in awe as the man spun his escort around gracefully. After they had finished with a dramatic dip, Jade spoke again. "So what made you change your mind about romance?"

"Pardon?"

"You said you don't like it _anymore_ , which indicates that your views about it must've been different before."

He weighed his words before answering, uncertain whether or not he wanted to ruin his chances with this beautiful girl by telling the truth or not, but he decided that she deserved it. "Well, for starters, my parents were only just kind enough to let me know that they have chosen a girl for me to marry, and that my opinion on the topic is worth a shit."

She furrowed her eyebrows, lowering her glass in disappointment; a gesture that made him feel even angrier with his parents. If it weren't for them he actually would have had a shot with her. "You're engaged?"

"To a woman I've never met or spoken to before. Heck, a woman whom I've never even seen a picture of."

"Bummer," she said, taking a big gulp of her drink. "I thought this cruise was finally about the get interesting. That really sucks, though, I'm sorry."

He made a face. "Thanks. But like I said, I don't even know her. I'm not sure if it's possible to cheat on someone who might not even know I exist yet. So..."

She gave him a smile. "Cute. But no. Contrary to popular belief, I do have morals."

"Right," he sighed, running his fingers through his thick hair. He quickly emptied his glass in two big gulps. "Care to join me for another drink anyway?"

. . .

When he woke up his head was buzzing.

From what he could tell, he had just barely made it to his bed last night, not even having bothered to take off his shoes before flopping down on top of the covers. He felt a little cold, now that he realized he didn't have a blanket on. His phone buzzed on the nightstand next to him, but he didn't bother to check who it was.

Despite his raging headache, he had pretty clear memories of the night before and he silently thanked heaven for it. Well, he wished he could forget all about what his parents had told him at dinner, but the rest of the night – not so much.

Jade had been a delight to be with, even thought she stayed true her intent of keeping everything between them platonic. She was funny, smart and witty, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous and Beck damned the existence of Daphne, whoever or wherever she might be. The prospect of hopefully getting some more time with Jade on this cruise, even if they could never be more than friends, was enough to convince him to not stay in bed and mope all day.

That, and the persistent knock on his door that was now sounding through his cabin.

"Beck, honey, your father and I would appreciate it if you joined us for lunch, since you have already skipped breakfast. You need to eat." He sighed upon hearing his mother's voice. He was not in the mood to deal with his parents, but he knew better than to disobey his father's wishes.

"Just give me a minute to get ready!" he shouted and hoped that it was loud enough for her to hear.

Slowly, very slowly, he dragged himself out of bed and into the tiny bathroom attached to his cabin to splash some cold water on his face. It made him feel a little better already. He quickly brushed his teeth and combed through his hair, then grabbed some clean clothes from the rack and but them on in a hurry. Patience was not his father's strong suit.

Grabbing his phone on the way out ('one unread text from Nancy Oliver'), he met his mother in the hallway. She raised her eyebrows upon seeing her usually well-groomed son unshaven and with dark circles under his eyes, but chose not to comment on it. "Your father is awaiting us downstairs. Shall we?"

The dining room was already filled with people, and Beck let his eyes wander as they walked through to find their table. Jade either wasn't there or well-hidden within the crowd. Maybe that was a good thing, he decided, as he realized that his parents probably wouldn't take kindly to him getting involved with another woman now, whether it was platonic or not. It wasn't that he had silently accepted his fate, just that he was too exhausted to argue.

Beck had barely sat down at the table when his father already commented on his appearance. "For someone who skipped breakfast and had all morning to get ready, I would've expected you to look somewhat presentable. It's bad enough that you spent the night getting drunk like some rebellious teenager, don't embarrass me during the day, too."

The young man just nodded sleepily, already exhausted from a day that had barely even started. The Olivers ate their lunches in silence that would have felt more uncomfortable and stifling hadn't Beck stopped caring altogether. He couldn't forgive his parents. Not that he was even trying, not after what they did. He saw his life crumbling before his eyes, one hopeless thought after the other. He wasn't sure what depression felt like, but it had to be something like what he felt in this moment.

"May I be excused?" he mumbled as soon as his father and mother had finished eating and got up without waiting for an answer, his own food nearly untouched. With quick steps he made his way outside, unsure of where he was headed, but never slowing down once. All he knew was that he wanted to be alone, or away from his parents at least. He needed time to think, to contemplate his options. Although the was almost sure there weren't any, other than suicide or sleeping under a bridge, living off garbage and rat meat. He had always hated being dependent on his parents, but in a society like his, finding a way out wasn't as easy as it may have seemed.

He came to a halt when he reached the ship's bow. With a sigh, he leaned over the railing, watching the water getting swirled up by the giant screw. It was a somewhat calming sight, seeing the ocean, the nothing. There weren't even any birds out here, just calm, blue water as far as the eye could see.

"That bad, huh?"

Startled at the unexpected voice, Beck flinched at first, then turned around with a smile playing on his lips. "Jade." She had traded her red dress from last night for a more casual look, skinny jeans and a black lace top, and wore significantly lighter makeup. Yet with sunglasses sitting on top of her head and a thick magazine tucked under her arm she looked even more gorgeous than he remembered.

They stared at each other for a moment. Beck couldn't quite pin down the feeling, but it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward, just... intense. The confident half-smile on her lips made his stomach do twists and turns. If there was ever such a thing as having instant chemistry between two people, this was it. And it was killing him that it was completely in vain. "I hope you weren't expecting me to tell you not to jump or something like that," Jade eventually said. "Because my affection towards watching dead bodies float in water is bigger than my conscience."

"Ouch. Here I was, thinking nothing could come in between our burning love...," Beck joked. "But, as an honest, good citizen, I'll have to regretfully inform you that I wasn't trying to jump."

"Aw," she replied with such a convincing expression that Beck really wasn't sure if she was serious or not. Jade moved so she was now standing next to him, leaning over the railing much like him before. He turned back around as well so they were both facing the ocean. "I take it your parents haven't changed their minds overnight?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, like that would happen." Then, after a short pause, he added, "Maybe I should jump after all." In a swift move he was on the other side of the railing, opposite from Jade.

Her eyes widened in horror at his unexpected move, yet she reflexively grabbed his arms, trying to pull him back in. "Are you insane?! Get back in here!"

They lingered like that for a moment, before a grin spread over Beck's face. "So you _would_ care if I jumped."

"Oh my God." At once she released his arms and rolled her eyes, her expression now annoyed rather than scared. "You're lucky I'm not _pushing_ you off this ship right now, I swear to God."

"Hmm, kinda looked more like you were doing the opposite to me."

She gave him another look. "Just get the fuck back in here." Once he did, she let out an annoyed groan. "I cannot believe your level of stupidity."

He was still smirking at her. "You didn't look down earlier, did you?"

"Why?"

"Do it."

She obliged, albeit reluctantly and took a few steps back towards the railing. Below she found a ledge from the deck below, sticking out just out just enough for Beck to have landed safely, had he let go. "Wow," she said, seemingly unimpressed. "That was _such_ a douchebag move."

With that, she stomped past him, but not without bumping his shoulder. On purpose, he was sure. "Jade," he called, but when she didn't even do so much as look back, he knew it was hopeless. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing and internally congratulating himself on pissing off the only person he liked on this ship in just a day of knowing each other. And just like that, he was alone again.

…

To say that he was in a bad mood didn't even cut it. Not only had Jade been avoiding him completely since the incident the day before (he figured that she had to be after his many attempts to find her had turned out to be a complete failure — one of them almost ending in him getting banned from a certain section of the ship, where he thought her cabin was), his parents also wouldn't shut up about the oh-so-wonderful Daphne and how she would be "good for him". He was surprised even his father put all of his faith in this woman that none of them had ever met or just spoken to.

Apparently his parents hoped that Daphne - whoever she was, honestly, - would be able to fix all of his problems, or rather all of the problems that his parents had with him. "She's a great girl," his mother beamed. "You'll see, getting settled down with your wife will be exactly what you need right now."

Beck could think of a million things he 'needed right now'. Marrying Daphne wasn't one of them.

By the time they got back from dinner he was completely frustrated and about ready to try to get his hands on a helicopter to get him off this damn ship. If at least he still had Jade to talk to and keep him sane, but he had blown it before even getting the chance to get to know her better. He went straight from the dining hall to his cabin and went to bed, hoping this nightmare would be over soon.

The next day it was his turn avoiding people. His parents, to be more precise. He had his food delivered to his cabin, his music turned up, his door locked. He felt miserable. Being like this, all by himself, gave him too much time to think and to feel sorry for himself. More often than not, he found his mind wandering to Jade and he started to wonder if he'd feel better about this whole thing if he hadn't met her, someone he _actually_ cared about and wanted to be with so badly it almost hurt. Probably not by much, but it still felt like it.

It was late at night when he couldn't bear it anymore. He had to get some fresh air and look at something other than the four walls in his cabin and Netflix.

It was incredibly cold out here, in the middle of the sea, a sharp wind stinging every uncovered part of his body. He wandered around on the deck aimlessly. There wasn't much to look at except for the scarcely lit entrances and walkthroughs. The pitch black night had swallowed all of the surroundings — not that there was much to see, anyway.

The clock in his phone told him that it was two in the morning, so it was no wonder that he was the only one out here. For sure there were still people drinking and dancing inside, but going outside into the freezing cold probably didn't seem to appealing to most people. But not all.

He was on his fourth lap around the deck when a figure emerged from the shadows in front of him and made him stop dead in his tracks. "Just so you know, I fucking hate you."

He smiled. There was only one person whose equivalent of a greeting was an insult. "Jade."

"Okay, seriously, don't smile like that. I'm mad at you. No, I'm _furious_."

He sighed. "Look, I know what I did the other day was idiotic and I'm really, _really_ sorry. I swear it'll never—"

"Not because of _that_ ," she scoffed. "I am an expert at holding grudges, but not over stupid shit like that. That'd be a waste of time."

"What else did I do?" he asked, now confused. He was racking his brains trying to remember what he could've done, but he hadn't even seen her in two days.

Now it was her who sighed, but she didn't say anything. Instead she bit her cheek, a sour expression on her face. Beck patiently waited for her to start talking again. "It's... okay, look," she eventually said and he was sure that he could hear a hint of nervousness in her tone. "You come over to talk to me at that stupid party, and you're charming and funny and witty and we totally speak the same language. And then—", she inhaled sharply, "Then you drop this bomb on me just as I started thinking we could have a good thing here, you know. Just like that. But as soon as you're gone, I realize that it's too damn _late_. And then I thought maybe if I never saw you again, it'd go away, but turns out it just makes it fucking _worse_ and I can't even drink a cup of coffee without being reminded of you and THAT, that is why I hate you, asshole."

She was breathing heavily by the time she finished her rant, glaring at him. They stared at each other for a brief moment, the tension between them so thick and loaded, it felt hard to breathe. And then, in a spur of the moment, he just leaned in and kissed her.


End file.
